Former Swedish air defense officer and military commentator Mikael Valtersson told Sputnik that the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shows the West “gambled on an easy victory over Russia and lost.” He added that both Presidents signalled satisfaction with the summit as a step forward toward a real peaceful solution of the Ukraine conflict.
“Those that wanted more isolation and sanctions against Russia, if Russia didn’t agree to Western demands, didn’t have their way,” Valtersson, who is also a member of the Swedish Democrats party, added.
The “Western war party” now faces improving relations between Russia and the U.S., as well as a continued peace process. After Donald Trump talks with his European allies and Ukraine, they will be faced with a choice, Valtersson said. “They can either support the peace process by accepting the realities on the ground and legitimate interests of Russia, or reject it. If they choose the latter, they will isolate themselves from not only the majority of the world, but especially from the U.S.
“Hopefully the cooler heads in Ukraine and Europe will realize that it’s better to follow the U.S. and accept reality, than continue a lost war,” Valtersson concluded.
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski told Sputnik that Trump is now NATO’s public enemy number one.
“The signs of comfort and confidence at the Alaska summit are concerning and humiliating for NATO and Zelenskyy,” Kwiatkowski said.
“What’s next for Europe and Ukraine is a new kind of pressure, of the kind that Trump is capable of exerting directly on those vassal states,” she added.
